Automatic train-speed-controlling device.



L. W. HRNE & W. N. CRANE.

AUTOMATIYC TRAIN SPEED CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.24. T913., y

1,196,782. E Pmentedsept. 5,1916.

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` sra 'l i LAWRENCE W. HORNE .AND WARREN N. CRANE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS 0F ONE-THIRD TO ALBERT C. HENRY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-SPEED-CONTROLLING- DEVICE.

Specification' of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, i916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LAWRENCE WESLEY HORNE and WARREN NOBLE CRANE, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at New York city, in the county of Kings and State'of New York, and at New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Train-Speed- Gontrolling Devices, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to means for automatically controlling air brakes for traction purposes, and our improvements relate particularly to a duplex system, whereby a valve in the train line pipe is opened through the agency of a valve trip and an obstacle, and furnishes the air pressure in a cylinder to place a second valve trip in position to be actuated by a succeeding obstacle, whereby a cut out valve opens the train line pipe to the atmosphere, allowing the brakes to be applied under emergency pressure in the well known manner.

Under our invention the apparatus .may be timed to become operative when thetrain is moving faster than a predetermined set speed, and to be inoperative when the speed of travel is at or below said predetermined set speed.

Under our invention a train line cut out valve, operated to apply the air brakes of a train in a well known manner is moved into an operative position, and then returned to an inoperative position by a timed or regulated movement. One method by which thev rcturnof said valve to said inoperative position may be timed, regulated and effected is shown in the drawings accompanying this application and is set forth and explained in the following specification.

In the l drawingv accompanying this application: Figure l is an end view of our improved brake operating apparatus, as connected to the train line pipe, Fig. 2 is a side elevation. thereof 5' Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the pressure cylinder, and Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated herewith, a valve, as a, is shown connected to the train line b, and is provided with a depending trip a, which is tensionally held in its normal, vertical position, as by connected rocker arms a2 a2, resting on rods a3 as, adapted to slide through guides at at which are borne by a cylinder c, or otherwise suitably supported. Springs, as a5 a5, between the rocker arms a2 a2 and guides at a4 serve to maintain the normal vertical position of trip a, returning said trip to said normal position after it has been swung to open valve a as when acted upon by an obstacle, as al. In the momentary opening of valve 'a described, a puff of air enters cylinder c from the train line pipe through valve a, compressing a spring .0 in said cylinder and depressing its piston e. SaidV piston connects, through the cylin- ,der end, with a cut out valve f, which has a depending,`operating trip` f, whose free end is normally elevated abovethe free end of trip a; said trip f thus vbeing normally out of the path of the obstacles. Cut out valve f is connected, as by flexible tube f2, with train line pipe o, whereby, when valve f opens, it exhausts saidtrain line pipe to the atmosphere at f?, thus causing the brakes to be applied in the usual manner. Obviously, the depression of'piston e, in the manner described, causes ya corresponding depression of valve f and of trip f', whereby the latter enters the path of a succeeding obstacle, which may be located a predetermined distance from the other obstacle which had previously operated valve trip a. Cylinder c is provided with a relief port c2, having a set screw c3 to regulate its area, thus permitting the timing of the return of piston e, and valve trip f, by the expansion of the spring c and the exhausting of the air pressure in the cylinder c to atmosphere, the

however slowly the train may be moving, the second obstacle, if set at danger position, will engage the trip f of the train line cutout valve f, and exhaust the train line air pressure to atmosphere and apply the brakes in the well known manner. lf the train is approaching a point where its speed is to be reduced because of a crossover, a sharp curve, or any point where the regulations require a low speed, the second obstacle will be located at a predetermined distance from the first obstacle, to accord with the maximum train speed allowed at that point and with the timing of the movement of the train line cutout valve. 1f the train to which this device is attached has been moving between the iirst and second obstacles at a speed low enough to comply with the regulations, then the train line cutout valve will have moved to the inoperative position before reaching the second obstacle, and will accordingly clear said obstacle. lf the train has been moving at a rate in excess of the regulation speed, between the first and second obstacles,the train line cutout valve f will not have moved suiiiciently to allow its trip to clear the second obstacle, and said obstacle will engage said trip, exhausting the train line air pressure to atmosphere and applying the emergency air brakes in the well known manner.

`When desired to reset the train line cut out valve automatically, after it has been opened through its trip f meeting` the sec ond obstacle, as described, we provide simple return means, as follows: Assuming the train speed to have been too great and the second obstacle, in consequence, to have met and swung trip f to the position shown in dotted lines in F ig. 8, in which position it may be frictionally held in any known manner, we provide a resetting device, as a lug g, depending from cylinder c, and included in the upward line of travel of said trip. Thus, as cylinder c becomes exhausted through relief port c2, and the piston c rises through the expansion of spring c', the trip f', which has been swung outwardly to the open position of valve f, likewise rises, and in its upward movement meets the lug g, which thereby exerts pressure to guide said trip back to its normal, vertical or closed position. 1n this manner the train line cut out valve is automatically closed, and the brakes are released, after having been automatically applied through neglect of the engineer to obey the danger signal when the train has passed the obstacles at higher than the safety or predetermined set speed.

We claim:

l. 1n an air brake system controlled by succeeding obstacles, a cut out valve in the train line pipe, a trip for said valve normally out of the path of the obstacles, means adjusting the position of said trip for operation by a succeeding obstacle, said means including an auxiliary valve supplying pressure to move said trip into its operative position, and a trip for said auxiliary valve, spring held for operation by an obstacle to open said auxiliary valve.

2. In an air brake system controlled by succeeding obstacles, a cut out valve in the train line pipe, a trip for said cut out valve normally out of the path ofthe obstacles, a cylinder, a valve to admit pressure thereto from the train line pipe, a valve trip normally in the path of obstacles to be actuated thereby, a piston in said cylinder, said piston moving the trip of said cut out valve into operative position with respect to a succeeding obstacle upon the admission of pressure to said cylinder, an adjustable relief port for said cylinder, and a spring to return said piston and cylinder valve trip to normal position.

3. 1n an air brake system controlled by succeeding obstacles, a cut out valve in the train line pipe, a trip for said valve normally out of the path of the obstacles, means operated by the pressure in said train line pipe for adjusting the position of said trip for operation by a succeeding obstacle, and means returning said train line cut out valve to the normal inoperative position.

t. In an air brake system controlled by succeeding obstacles, a cut out valve in the train line pipe, a trip for said valve normally out of the path of the obstacles, means for lowering said trip for operation by a succeeding obstacle, whereby said trip will be swung to the opening position, thus opening the valve, means for returning said trip to its normal raised position, and means for moving said trip, in said return movement, to the closing position, thus closing the valve.

5. A device for controlling the speed of trains having in combination with a track provided with a plurality of abutments spaced apart, a valve and a lever for operating it, said lever being normally within the path of said abutments, a second valve having a lever normally out of the path of said abutments, and means adapted to insert said second lever into the path of said abutments by the operation of the first valve as and for the purpose set forth.

G. A device for controlling the speed of trains having in combination with a track provided with a plurality of abutments spaced apart, a valve having its operating lever normally in the path of said abutments and a second valve having an operating means adapted to be inserted into the path of said abutments by the operation of said first valve and means for retarding the movement of said second valve operating means delaying its entrance into the path of said another of said abutments as and for the abutments as and for the purpose set forth. purpose set forth.

7. A device for controlling the speed of In testimony whereof We have hereunto trains having in combination With a track set our hands this 16th day of January, 1913.

5 provided With a plurality of abutments, a LAWRENCE W HORNE.

valve havin@ an operating means normally out of the ipath of said abutments and a WARREN N' CRANE' valve controlled air operated means operated Witnesses: by one of said abutments for interposing SADIE R. SEMLEAR, 10 said valve operating means into the path of GERTRUDE E. COYLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

